Gennai Hiraga
Gennai Hiraga (平賀源内, Hiraga Gennai ) is Captain of the 4th Division in the Gotei 13, alongside his lieutenant is Daisuke Sasaki. As leader of the 4th Division, Gennai is responsible for managing medical treatment and supply to the entire Gotei 13. He also manages the Sōgō Kyūgo Tsumesho (綜合救護詰所, "The Coordinated Relief Station"), the primary medical facility in Seireitei and Soul Society at large. Gennai is known as Soul Society's most talented and experienced healer, specializing in its multiple practices and applications, as well as a master in healing Kidō known as Kaidō (回道, "Turn Way"). With his experience in healing, Gennai has been given the moniker "Chiyu-fū" (治癒風, "Healing Wind") by his peers and comrades due to the swiftness of his response to emergencies. Because of his duties, he often remains in the barracks during times of battle and tend the injured. Although principally a healer, Gennai is also known as an extremely lethal combatant who should be proceeded with caution and regarded as one of Soul Society's deadliest swordsman. He currently resides in the Bleach: War of Souls universe. Appearance Standing at an average height, Gennai is a lean built man with short black hair spiked outward in something that resembles an afro, and a few short bangs coming down in the middle of his forehead. In terms of accessories, he's almost always seen wearing black circular sunglasses that cover his grey eyes and a pair of thick white bracelets wrapped around his wrists. Of all the captains within the Gotei 13, Gennai has the most modified uniform. His black shinigami robes appear sleeveless with an altered collar that comes high enough to cover the lower part of his face. This collar is buttoned together at its center. Under his uniform, his prefers a black skin tight outfit that reveals his slender, yet toned, form and completely covers his arms and hands. In the light, the fabric tends to have a blueish hue to it. His captain's haori has also been altered so that it buttons in the center similar to that of a doctor's coat, but still remains sleeveless. He is the first captain to alter a uniform in such a manner, but he has stated that it fits better with his profession as the chief medical officer within the Gotei and allows for easy movement. Personality Gennai is portrayed as being somewhere between merely stoic and matter-of-fact, never smiling or showing emotion at all. Most of his dialogue stems from medical examinations or scientific research, rarely engaging in casual conversation. He admits to having trouble in social situations, often giving off the impression of being cold towards others. His lieutenant mentioned that Gennai once tried to tell a joke, only to make them cry. Because of his awkwardness, he preferes to keep conversation professional as it flows more naturally to him. He is highly respected for his medical knowledge and is the most proficient healer currently in Soul Society. Even during the most dire situations, he maintains a calm demeanor, able to save his patients from what would be considered fatal to most. Though never witnessed by most, Gennai is considered one of the most dangerous combatants in the Gotei 13. In combat, he lacks all emotion, never showing signs of distress or worry. He's known to be highly efficient in dispatching his enemies, showing no remorse. He's also known to be very difficult to read in combat. Typically, his duties as a doctor forces him out of the front lines of combat, which, and he'll never admit this to anyone, where he wishes he was fighting along side his fellow captains. History Coming Soon Plot *Something Wicked This Way Comes *Behind Enemy Lines *Here Comes Trouble Powers & Abilities Zanjutsu Master: It is implied by his fellow captains that Hiraga is an extremely dangerous combatant. Like the rest of the Gotei 13, his skill level is considered that of a master, as it is a requirement to be a captain within the Divisions. Though not appearing so, he is easily capable of dispatching multiple foes quickly and efficiently, and with lethal force if necessary. With his knowledge of anatomy of various species, he is able to find weak points and vital areas of the body and target them with deadly precision. This allows him to deal maximum damage to an opponent in a few short attacks. His skill is so great this he is able to swiftly strike his opponents, targeting these weak points, and sever critical nerves to paralyze them. Unfortunately, due to his role within the Gotei 13, Hiraga mainly stays behind the front line and rarely sees time in battle. Although he hasn't been seen in battle, its been noted that Hiraga is exceptionally skilled in using his sword one-handed, and his fighting style is described as speed-based with emphasis on thrusts and piercing attacks. When he fought against Espada Garatuza Salaazar and his Vástago, he showed tremendous skill, able to fend off multiple opponents attacking him at once and systematically eliminating each one as the battle progressed. He was able to quickly shift his stances, fighting both on the ground and in the air, with little difficulty and only sustained injury after a surprise attack. Even with a wounded arm, he was able to fight single handed, with only receiving minor wounds as he battled, and still killing off creatures. Kidō Master: 'It is common knowledge that Hiraga is a master in the art of Kidō, able to wieve its magic effortlessly in the middle of battle. His spells are known to be quite powerful, regardless of its level and if incantation was used. An example of his skill is his ability to cast a mid-level Bakudō spell without incantation and with such speed that he was able to block a Bala before it could hit him. Even with the speed in which he erected "'Bakudō #42: Goryōho (五稜堡, Five-Sided Fort)", its strength was not weakened in the slightest, and was able to fully absorb the impact of the Arrancar's attack without shattering. He's shown incredible versatility in the use of magic, able to cast different levels of spells, as well using both Bakudō and Hadō in the heat of battle, effectively alternating between both types to overpower an enemy. While highly efficient in sword fighting, Kidō seems to be Hiraga's principle form of combat, showing remarkable skill in casting its spells without appearing taxed from the exertion. When he battled Espada Garatuza Salaazar, his fight was primarily Kidō with several instances of sword play and speed techniques and was even able to defeat the 10th Espada with a well placed and well timed spell that nearly destroyed the Arrancar's body with a single attack. Even though it is yet to be witnessed, it can be safely assumed that Hiraga is one of the foremost practitioners of Kidō in Soul Society, and his knowledge within this art extends the entire spectrum of spells available and can certainly cast the higher level ones without difficulty. Master Healer: 'Hiraga is regarded as the greatest healer currently in Soul Society, with none close to the level of skill he possesses. The only individual within the entire organization that could even remotely come close to him is his lieutenant. And even then, the distance between the two is considerable. Even during his days as a student in the Academy, he excelled in every area regarding biology, anatomy and medicinal arts. His skill in treating the body extends to various creatures found in the spirit worlds, and is highly knowledgeable in the anatomy of Hollows, Arrancar and Togabito, aside from the Shinigami. He's able to quickly analyze a patient, determine their ailment, identify the cause, and react with the proper counter agent or treatment. This eludes to a similar process of thinking that 12th Division Captain, Kenmei Hashimoto, has that allows him to almost instantly assess the situation in front of him by subconsciously skipping certain steps through deductive reasoning, which in turn helps process the information faster in his head. Even under intense pressure where life hangs in the balance, he remains calm and composed, never fumbling or stressing. He was able to effectively treat a nearly dead Captain Matsunaga when he was severely poisoned during an attack in his manor. His skill is uncontested within the Divisions and has proved to be one Soul Society's most treasured resources during times of war, which is the reason why he's often denied from participating in battles. As the foremost expert in the field of medicine, he is also charged with running the largest medical facitility in Seireitei, and by extension, Soul Society. *'Kaidō Master: As a Kidō Master, Hiraga excels in the art of using magical energies and manipulating to suit his needs. While he's already highly proficient both Bakudō and Hadō, he diverts a lot of his attention to the healing portion of it known as Kaidō. As a Kaidō Master, he's able to use his own Reiryoku as a catalyst to treat his patients and accelerate their healing process. He does this by weaving his spiritual power directly into his patient's body to identify the affected area and begin mending it from the inside. He can do this by one of two ways: the first is using his own reiatsu to excite the healing properties within the target's body by manipulating their stored reiatsu, allowing their own body to heal itself at a much faster rate. This merging of both reiatsu helps the wounded individual to restore their body even during battle, by finding a remote location away from danger and spending some time to strengthen the body. The second method is by simply restoring the target's reiatsu with Hiraga's own, even if the body isn't damaged. This process is much faster and used primarily to revitalize the patient if they are battle weary or have minor superficial wounds. When using Kaidō, their are no spell names or incantations. Hiraga simply extends one or both arms over a target and begins emitting a faint green energy that signals the transfer of his energy into the target. With his skill and experience, Hiraga can use Kaidō even during battle situations and can help an individual recover much faster than any other within the 4th Division. He's the best when it comes to treating allies on the battlefield, with none being able to match his speed and ability in this art. Keen Intellect & Observer: One of Hiraga's outstanding qualities is his attention to detail. Most of his analysis comes from simple and quick observations, with every one of them being correct. With a mere glance, he was able to identify a slight difference in coloring in the blood of an impostor posing as a captain within the Gotei 13. And although he appears to be quite and anti-social, Hiraga is quite knowledgeable in the personality traits and mannerisms of those he's surrounded by. He was able to quickly identify something wrong with an impostor posing as Captain Ojima and systematically break down the key differences between the two. This attention to detail enhances all areas of his skill set, allowing him to discern attack patterns and strategies of opponents he's facing, as well as identifying ailments within patients he's treating. When facing Garatuza, he was able to maneuver himself throughout the battlefield to remain out of harm's way by identifying the paths in which the Arrancar would take, and used a combination of Kidō and Zanjutsu to overpower his opponent. He quickly identified that severing limbs from the Arrancar would result in more enemies spawning and quickly switched to Kidō so that he could vaporize the limbs before they had a chance to regrow. Great Spiritual Pressure: While never appearing in battle, Hiraga is still greatly feared among the Divisions. This is a testament to the level of power that he possesses. As a captain, it can be easily assumed that Hiraga wields great levels of spiritual power that can effect those around him. Unfortunately, again, with being held back and out of battles, the exact level of power he wields is unknown. His power was shown to be equal to that of the 10th Espada, and able to withstand the Arrancar's own spiritual pressure without any adverse effects. Zanpakutō Meimyaku (命脈, "Thread of Life") In it's sealed form, Meimyaku's hilt-guard takes the form of a diamond with curved concave edges that intertwine at the points, and a purple handle. *'Shikai:' When releasing Meimyaku, Hiraga holds out his blade and states the command, "Create" (作る, Tsukuru). The blade will then begin to glow a light blue and dissolve into a fine mist, leaving only the handle, with Hiraga being able to mentally control its direction and shape. ::Shikai Special Ability: Meimyaku is considered Soul Society's strongest healing type Zanpakutō, so much that its considered a treasure within the Gotei 13, but also possesses unique abilities that allow it to be versatile in both offensive and defensive combat if necessary. Of course, given the nature and role HIraga plays in the organization, his Zanpakutō's special abilities are reserved primarily for support. Meimyaku's true ability comes from the mist the blade dissolves into, with unique properties that causes the color of the mist to change depending on which technique Hiraga calls upon. This mist does not cause outward damage to an opponent and instead focuses on manipulating the nervous system and other natural bodily functions by injecting the mist into the blood stream or through inhalation. Hiraga does this by manipulating the mist through mental command to envelop his targets. His control is so great, that he can send the mist into a person's body and target specific parts to eliminate foreign bacteria or paralyze their nervous system as he did when treating Captain Matsunaga. Meimyaku's greatest asset is its ability to manipulate the body through indirect contact, and allows Hiraga to remain safely at a distance while still being able to control his opponents. Each effect needs a specific command to cause the color of the mist to change, much like Urahara's Benihime. ::*'Naosu, Meimyaku' (直す命脈, "Mend, Thread of Life"): This is the mist Hiraga uses primarily with his role as Soul Society's top healer. When the mist changes to the color blue, it possesses potent healing ability, able to repair wounds almost instantly depending on their severity. The process involves fusing a portion of Hiraga's spiritual power into the mist to help accelerate a body's healing ability, allowing it to repair itself without needing to depend on the patient's own reiatsu. The mist doesn't just target damage a body has sustained, but it can purge poisons within the blood stream. Depending on the wounds, Meimyaku can repair superficial wounds in seconds, as even restore lost limbs. Though the latter would require a greater deal of time and energy. The strength of the healing ability of this mist is so great that it is capable of bringing a Shinigami Captain back to life that had momentarily stopped breathing. While appearing as if it can bring back the dead, Meimyaku does not actually possess this ability to do so. During this time, the blue mist acts as a sort of defibrillator, jolting the heart to restart the function of their internal organs. ::*'Otoshīreru, Meimyaku' (陥れる命脈, "Ensnare, Thread of Life"): When the mist changes to the color purple, it now possesses illusionary abilities that effect a target's vision and have them experience powerfully vivid hallucinations. These hallucinations are so convincing that a target has great difficulty discerning them from reality. Even if they are aware they are hallucinations, their body cannot override its natural response to the visual image and will react out of instinct. These illusions can be anything Hiraga wishes them to be but mainly appear as distortions, often creating monstrous imagery around a target. He used a version of this mist to create an exact duplicate of himself in the eyes of Garatuza, allowing him to confuse the Arrancar to attack a hologram. This means that Hiraga has the ability to create copies of existing things that appear normal as a clever ruse to confuse his targets. ::*'Red Mist:' When the mist changes to the color red, it can now target an opponent's pain receptors in the body to induce prolonged moments of intense pain. This renders a target immobile, momentarily stunning them during this process. Because of its nature, this mist can provide a means of interrogation, i.e. torture, without actually killing a target and damaging their body. ::*'Orange Mist: '''When the mist changes to the color orange, Hiraga is able to increase an opponent's desires to the point they override all other thoughts. This means that a target will immediately stop performing all other actions and will now only focus on their one desire. If a target secretly hates another target, they will instantly become hostile towards the other and begin fighting them. Hiraga has stated that he doesn't like using this mist mainly because it brings out ugly nature within all beings and brings the darkest parts of their personality to the surface. ::*'Yellow Mist:' When the mist changes to the color yellow and is inhaled by a target, it creates a pacifying effect that eventually renders them unconscious. This mist can effect both a single or multiple target and can leave them like this for up to several hours. ::*'Green Mist: While the blue mist heals a target, when it becomes green, it begins to slowly poison and drain them. When beginning to feel its effects, a target starts to feel nauseous and feverish with their vision becoming blurry and disoriented. These effects grow the longer a target is within the mist, with prolonged exposure leading to a coma-like state. ::*'White Mist: '''It is currently unknown what the effect of White Mist is. *'Bankai: Meimyaku Shukumeikiru (命脈宿命剪る, "Thread of Life Cut By Fate") Category:Male Category:Shinigami Category:Gotei 13 Category:4th Division Category:Shinigami Captain Category:Zanjutsu Master Category:Kido Master Category:Master Healer